Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge: Saturday 23 September 2017

ATHLETE GUIDE 2017

Welcome to this new and exciting event delivered by Beyond Adventure and Still Going Strong Events. We are delighted that you have chosen to be a part of this and are looking forward to hosting both adventure sports enthusiasts and those putting their toes in the water for the first time, the event offers opportunities for all to get involved. Aberfeldy and The Tay Valley has some of the best scenery in Scotland, particularly at this time of year in early autumn creating a stunning backdrop.

The Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge is a circular 12km Run/Hike from the picturesque Highland Perthshire Town of Aberfeldy to Kenmore followed by a 10km paddle back to Aberfeldy.

The Course

The route delivers some spectacular Highland Perthshire scenery. Following your event check in at Beyond Adventure By The River, the Start is on the front lawn of Dewars Whisky Distillery.

Overview

Aberfeldy Start of Run/Hike

Paddle

Classes

You can enter as:

Solo

Pairs in Solo Craft

Pairs in Tandem Craft

Relay (one person for the land section and one person for the water section)

Solo competitors should be 16+ years old.
12 years and above can take part in the Pairs with an Adult over 18 years old.

The event is designed to allow a competitive element alongside a participation element. The competitive event will be timed and eligible for prizes while the participation event is untimed and not eligible for prizes. You need to tell us at the time of booking if you want a timed run or not, there is a section on the entry form to do that.

Relay

We welcome relay entries, Relay category entrants will be two members, one Run/hiker and one paddler with changeover/transition at Taymouth Marina. Relay category entrants will have a different bib colour

Pairs

We welcome entries from pairs. On both the paddle and run/hike sections pairs should be no further than 100m from each other.

Allowable craft

All categories of paddlesport craft are allowable from racing kayaks through to paddleboards. The boats paddled down the river section of the event prescribe which category participants compete in. i.e. tandem crews must paddle an accepted doubles craft.

Prizes are awarded as;

Solo

1st Male

1st Female

1st Male U18

1st Female U18

Pairs in Solo Craft

Pairs in Tandem Craft

Relay

Key things you need to do to before taking part

Read the information on protecting the environment about biosecurity and follow the link to “Check – Clean – Dry”. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/checkcleandry/index.cfm It is every paddler’s responsibility to turn up at the start with a canoe or kayak that is both clean and dry, so that no Invasive Non Native Species enters the River Tay.

Read the Event Safety and equipment guidance within this document to ensure yourself and your equipment including boat are properly prepared and equipped in advance.

Read the Event rules within this document

You must Check in person.

Key Timings

Friday 22 September

Check in

Opens 16:00- Closes 20:00

At Beyond Adventure By the River site

Saturday 23 September

Boat Drop Off

Opens 06:00- Closes 08:30

At Taymouth Marina

Check-in

Opens 07:00 – Closes 08:30

At Beyond Adventure By the River

Event Briefing to all athletes

08:45

At Start Line Dewars Whisky Distillery

Event Starts

09:00

At Dewars Whisky Distillery

Side Events Program Starts

11:00

At Beyond Adventure By the River

Official Opening of Beyond Adventure by The River

17:00

At Beyond Adventure By The River

Event Presentation

18:00

At Beyond Adventure Beyond The River

Side Events Program Close

18:30

At Beyond Adventure Beyond The River

Check-in

Event Check-in is located at Beyond Adventure “By the River”, Riverside, Aberfeldy, Perthhsire PH15 2EB turn in at 40mph/derestricted speed sign leaving/arriving eastern side of Aberfeldy

Opening Times:

Friday, 22 September, 16:00 - 20:00

Saturday, 23 September, 07:00 - 08:30

At check in you will receive:

Your race bib

Boat sticker

Athlete wrist band (gives you access to all event areas )

Event T shirt

Start and Vehicle Logistics

All participants are responsible for taking their boats to Taymouth Marina on the morning of 23 September 2017. Boat drop off will be open from 0600-0830 and boats, buoyancy aids and helmets will be checked at this time. Having deposited your boats, cars will be parked at Beyond Adventure ”By the River”, Riverside, Aberfeldy, Perthshire PH15 2EB where the race will start and finish.

There are toilets available at check-in.

Safety and Equipment

The safety of participants and our volunteers is paramount. The Run/Hike section is off road for the majority of the route. You should wear appropriate footwear, E.G. Good quality Running or Fell Running shoes, or Hiking Boots/Shoes. Please ensure you were appropriate clothing to the weather conditions and carry nutrition with you in terms of energy drinks and bars. There will be no drink or feed station on the route but there will be drinks available at the paddle transition at Taymouth Marina.

All participants are required to provide a buoyancy aid and helmet. Remember that the weather can be cold in September and it can be wet and windy therefore we expect participants to have appropriate clothing with spares for the river section. Closed cockpit kayaks and open canoes must have additional buoyancy and end loops fitted. All equipment will be checked for suitability when dropped off at Taymouth Marina.

Safety cover will be provided at Chinese Bridge and other sections of the course. However, the majority of the course you will be on your own.

The race will be supported by a sizable and professional Course Marshal, First Aid and Water Safety Team. How to summon assistance will be described at the pre-race briefing.

There will be a Race Control office at The Beyond Adventure by the river, Emergency contact details will be published in the final race information, and at the pre-race briefing.

General River Information

The Tay is the biggest-volume river in Britain, passing through beautiful scenery. The entire river is flowing, fast at times. There is a significant rapid section from Chinese Bridge to the confluence with the River Lyon, where the standard reaches Grade 2. Here there are standing wave trains which will sink an open canoe or open cockpit kayak if the correct line is not taken.

We recommend two guidebooks that cover this section of river:

Scottish Canoe Touring

Scottish Whitewater: 2nd edition

Both are available from the Scottish Canoe Association (http://canoescotland.org) or any reputable bookseller. Participants unfamiliar with the river might wish to consider a guided reconnaissance – see the Scottish Canoe association website or elsewhere for possible providers.

Side Events Program

Beyond The Tay Adventure Challenge is also delivering an exciting side events program which includes:

Come Try Paddle Sports sessions

Indoor Climbing Wall

Boat and Equipment second hand sale (participants can bring their own items to sell)

Bouncy Castle

Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge 2017 Race Rules and Fees

The Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge is delivered by Still Going Strong Ltd and Beyond Adventure Services Aberfeldy Ltd.

The Event will be run under The Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge Rules and such rules as the Event Organiser decides to implement to ensure the safe and successful organisation of the event. The Event Organiser may make a ruling at any time and on any matter not specifically covered under the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge Rules prior or during the event. Any such rulings will be contained in the Pre-Event Notes or will be announced at the Start. Any rulings by the Event Organiser are final.

No entry will be accepted unless submitted through The Beyond The Tay Adventure Challenge online entry system insert link or an Official Entry Form.

Paddlers taking part should either hold a British Canoeing 3 Star White Water Award or be at an equivalent standard. Syllabus available at: http://canoescotland.org/courses-training/bcu-star-awards

The Event Organiser reserves the right to accept or reject any entry if, in the opinion of the Event Organiser, the entrant is ineligible, unfit or incompetent to participate in the event or if the entrant’s equipment does not comply with the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge Rules or is otherwise unsuitable.

The Event Organiser is empowered, if deemed necessary in the interests of safety, or otherwise, to limit the number of entrants in specific classes and if this right is implemented, to accept entries in order of receipt of entry form.

The Event Organiser is empowered to modify or cancel specific classes and courses depending on conditions e.g. river level, weather etc., or the event itself if required.

By submission of an Official Entry Form it is considered that entrants and their supporters are acquainted with the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge Rules and rules that may be included in the Pre Event Notes. It will not be considered a defence, excuse, or mitigating factor that someone was unaware of the existence of a rule.

All participants must ensure that their allocated Event bibs are clearly visible throughout the event

All boats must be fitted with either buoyancy bags/blocks which must be securely fastened to the boat or other secure buoyancy. Any buoyancy bags fitted must be inflated. Competitors in all classes who do not comply with this rule face possibly being refused access to the event by the organisers, or being disqualified.

All boats (with the exception of marathon K1s and K2s) must be equipped at each end with a grab handle or equivalent (for open canoes end loops must be attached through the hull). Wild Water Racing boats and marathon K1 and K2 boats shall follow www.canoeicf.com regulations regarding the specification of their boats.

Participants must be able to free themselves immediately from their boat at all times.

All participants (with the exception for racing K1 and K2 paddlers) must carry an approved helmet for the duration of the event (so they can’t discard them to a friend after checking). All those in closed cockpit boats must wear their helmets for the duration of the event. The event organisers very strongly recommend that ALL participants wear helmets throughout the duration of the event. The only helmets approved for use will be those carrying a current CE mark.

Each participant must wear a buoyancy aid which carries a CE mark (BSEN393 or ISO12402) and which provides 50N or more of inherent buoyancy. Inflatable buoyancy aids which operate automatically or require user action to inflate are not considered suitable for this event.

Participants who are under 16 must be accompanied whilst on the river by a parent, guardian or nominated adult, except those who are appropriately listed on the British Canoeing Marathon, Slalom, or White Water Racing Ranking Lists at the time of entering the event. Refer to the Organiser for more information and for individual authorisation.

Equipment checks will take place at boat drop off. Participants failing to present their craft and equipment for checking will not be allowed to start the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge. Participants whose equipment does not meet the required standard will not be able to start the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge.

All participants must comply with the spirit and intent of the Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge. This includes obeying reasonable requests from Beyond the Tay Adventure Challenge officials.

Any participant seeing another participant in real danger must render all assistance possible.

In the event of a capsize, participants may be assisted by other participants or event safety crew from the water and receive assistance in emptying their craft in preparation for re-entering the Event.

Interference by any participant or support crew member with the Rescue Teams or the safe operation of the event is liable to immediate expulsion from the event.

Any participant withdrawing from the event for any reason MUST notify Race Control as soon as possible.

Entrants must compete in a craft comparable to the class indicated on a submitted entry form and start the event within the selected class.

The Event Organiser’s decisions relating to classes, dimensions, type of craft, non- acceptance of an entry, etc. will be considered final.

Any participant may receive assistance from supporters in the matter of First Aid, sustenance, change of clothing, help with repairs, replacement of faulty or damaged equipment including paddles, but not the replacement of the craft itself. In the pairs category of the race team members must be within 100m of each other on both the run/hike and paddle section.